GOVERNMENT: Kazakhstan vows to support innovations, trim unemployment rate

The 8th session of Kazakhstan-Pakistan Intergovernmental Commission on trade, economic, scientific, technological and cultural cooperation was held in Astana on November 5-6. The session was co-chaired by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan Askar Mussinov and Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Resources of Pakistan Jam Kamal Khan. Utmost attention was paid to the bilateral cooperation in trade and investment, energy, transport and communications, agriculture, industry, healthcare and science. The Kazakh side briefed the Pakistani guests on a number of President Nazarbayev's initiatives, namely the New Economic Policy "Nurly Zhol", and "100 specific steps" National Plan. Pakistan was invited to participate in the International specialized exhibition EXPO-2017 in Astana. Parliamentary delegation of the Republic of Bulgaria led by Chairperson of the National Assembly Tsetska Tsacheva paid a visit to Kazakhstan earlier this week. On Monday Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Karim Massimov held a meeting with Ms Tsacheva where the sides discussed the ways to expand bilateral cooperation in commercial and economic, investment, cultural and humanitarian spheres. It is worth mentioning that Ms Tsacheva announced Bulgaria's plans to hold a national exposition at the International specialized exhibition EXPO-2017. Two days later Premier Massimov unveiled the first session of the Astana club dedicated to the development of Eurasia in the Kazakh capital. "The Eurasian Economic Union. It seems like everyone asks us about this trade bloc these days. I would like to remind that it was our President who came up with this idea while delivering a lecture at the Lomonosov Moscow State University back in 1994. We do support this project, but consider it an economic one. It is not politically motivated by any means," Mr. Massimov said of Kazakhstan's stand on the matter in his opening remarks. 50 international experts in the sphere of economy, politics and international relations from the U.S., Russia, the EU, China, Turkey, Iran and other countries gathered in Astana for the first session of the club. On Thursday Astana hosted another international event - the International forum of innovations "Kazakhstan - a new global hub of innovations". Prime Minister Massimov, who was in attendance, vowed that the Government of Kazakhstan will support innovators. "The path of innovations and startups is a complicated one. Not all of you will become successful," he addressed the attendees of the forum. "You will have your ups and downs on this path. But only in such competitive environment you can make progress". The Premier noted that the Government's task is to create institutes that will support innovators and offer environment where great ideas will be born. The Ministry of Healthcare and Social Development of Kazakhstan reported this week that over 5,000 unemployed Kazakhstanis obtained micro-credits to start their own business thanks to the Employment Roadmap-2020 in 2015.